Application
The application for the Fall 2024 application cycle will open on September 1, 2023.
Listed below are the application deadlines and other important dates for the Fall 2024 entering class.
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September 1: Fall 2024 application opens.
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Mid October/Early November: First round of decisions is sent out. (General rolling admissions applicants may receive a decision any time between October and April.)
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December 12: Round 1 Early Decision Option (EDO) application deadline by 4:00pm ET. More information here.
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December 31: $70.00 Application Fee automatically waived through this date.
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January 5: $900 non-refundable deposit deadline for admitted Round 1 EDO applicants by 4:00pm ET.
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January 31: Public Interest/Public Service (PIPS) Scholarship application deadline by 11:59pm ET. More information here.
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February 9: Round 2 EDO application deadline by 4:00pm ET. More information here.
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Early February: First merit scholarship notifications are sent out.
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March 1: Priority application deadline. (Applicants who apply after March 1 may not receive a decision until after April 1.)
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March 1: AUWCL Institutional Need-based Aid Application deadline. Application available on the financial aid website.
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March 1: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) deadline. More information on the financial aid website.
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March 4: $900 non-refundable deposit deadline for admitted Round 2 EDO applicants by 4:00pm ET.
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April 15: $900 deposit deadline for general (rolling) admissions process merit scholarship recipients by 4:00pm ET.
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April 26: $900 deposit deadline for general (rolling) admissions process applicants who did not receive a merit scholarship by 4:00pm ET.
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April - August: Waiting list candidates are considered for admission.
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June 30: First year JD application deadline at 5:00pm ET
Please note that we do not conduct interviews as part of our admissions process.
Applicants are eligible to apply to the law school if they will have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university prior to entering the law school and if they have taken the LSAT or GRE within the past five years.
All first-year applicants must have taken either the LSAT or GRE within the past five years. We recommend that fall 2024 applicants take the LSAT no later than February. However, we will consider spring and summer LSAT test scores on a case-by-case basis.
Applicants taking the GRE must have their score report arrive to us by February 28, 2024. GRE scores from later tests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Applicants will need to register with the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) Law School Report service. This service requires that applicants send a transcript from each college or university they have attended to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). Our admissions committee will not review an application until we have received the CAS report and an official LSAT or GRE score; therefore it is imperative that applicants submit all necessary documents and register with LSAC in a timely manner. Further information and registration forms for the LSAT and CAS can be obtained from the LSAC website. Further information regarding the GRE can be found on the ETS website.
Any first-year applicants who enrolled previously at another law school (even if they withdrew within the first semester) must provide a letter of standing from the law school where they enrolled. This can be emailed directly from the other law school to the applicant's assigned Admissions Counselor.
Foreign-Educated Applicant Transcripts:
Applicants who earned their undergraduate degree outside the United States or Canada MUST take the LSAT or GRE and have their academic credentials evaluated by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) using the authentication and evaluation (A&E) feature included in LSAC's Credential Assembly Service (CAS). Applicants must have earned at least the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree. They may find more information and register for CAS on LSAC's website here.
TOEFL Requirements:
Applicants whose native language is not English and who have not earned a degree where the coursework was conducted in English must take the TOEFL exam and submit their score through the LSAC credential service. A minimum TOEFL score of 100 iBT (600 paper based test) is recommended.
Acquiring a Student Visa:
Applicants who are applying for a student (F-1) visa must attend full time. Full time is defined for these purposes as at least 12 credit hours per semester. I-20 forms are not available until an applicant has been accepted and has paid their seat deposit. It is vital that they demonstrate adequate financial support to cover cost of one year of attendance. They must show evidence of sufficient private or government funding in order to be issued the appropriate immigration document. For more information on student visas, please review the International Student & Scholar Services website at http://www.american.edu/ocl/isss/Immigration-and-Visa-Incoming-Students.cfm.
All applicants must answer the character and fitness questions on the application. Reporting responsibility to state bars mandates that applicants fully and completely answer these questions. If they answer "yes" to any of the character and fitness questions on the application, they will need to attach a detailed explanation. The obligation to provide truthful, accurate, and complete information is a continuing one, which requires them to notify the law school of any changes in their answers to any part of the application that occur after the date of the application submission. Any ambiguity in the questions on the application form should be addressed by contacting the Office of Admissions.
In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
The Committee on Admissions will consider the severity of the action and any pattern of violations. The American Bar Association Standard 504 requires the law school to advise each applicant to secure information regarding the character and other qualifications for admission to the bar in the state in which the applicant intends to practice.
Note: All materials applicants submit become our property and cannot be returned or forwarded to a third party. Any false or misleading statements may be the basis for denial of admission, or if admitted, dismissal from the law school. Applicants must notify us of any changes of status as to any part of the application which occur after the date they sign the application, and they must then complete the explanation required within 30 days of the status change. This obligation is a continuing one, and the requirement of completeness, accuracy, and truthfulness extends beyond the filing of the application for admission to include the entire period of matriculation at the law school. Failure to satisfy this obligation after matriculation may result in a proceeding being instituted under the Washington College of Law's Honor Code.